Szczeliniec Wielki, Sandstone mountain peak in Karłów, Poland
Szczeliniec Wielki is a mountain peak in Karłów that stands 919 meters above sea level and forms a plateau with narrow rock ravines and freestanding stone pillars. The path leads over bridges and staircases through a natural maze of weathered sandstone, shaped by wind and rain over millions of years.
A team of stonemasons built the first wooden ladders and stairs to the summit in 1790 so visitors could see the panorama. Fourteen years later the wooden structures were replaced with 665 stone steps, securing permanent access.
The rock walls and pillars on the summit carry names like Hen with Chicks and Camel, given by shepherds and walkers from earlier centuries. These names help visitors today recognize shapes in the sandstone and find their way across the plateau.
The loop trail across the summit plateau measures about two kilometers and takes roughly an hour to walk. Sturdy footwear is needed because many sections cross uneven stone stairs and narrow rock passages.
The Inferno ravine holds snow until June because the rock walls shield the ground from direct sun and cool air stays trapped at the bottom. The temperature down there often sits ten degrees below the summit temperature.
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